To Do

Today my list includes 2 things:
1. Have fun with Avery
2. Laundry

That's it.
I am so grateful for this simple time in our lives, and that our only care in the world today is making sure we have clean socks.

How did we get so lucky?

Did you hear about this and this?

Does Your Homework Require a Gluestick?

While vocalizing my annoyance that my pattern teacher's tardiness to class was causing me to be away from my daughter an extra 30 unnecessary minutes, the girl sitting in front of me whipped around and said, "You have a daughter? How old are you?"

"How old do you think I am?" I made her feel uneasy.

"Maybe 21 or 22?"

Too tired to think of a clever retort, and a little surprised she thought 22 was astonishingly young to have a baby, I just settled on the truth,

"I'm 28, but thanks".

And there you have it...I'm officially old.

Not because I'm 28--heavens Oprah says I won't be confidant enough even to know who I really am, or what I want until at least 45...I'm basically a baby in Oprah years,

but because I was glad that someone thought I looked younger than I really was, and because instead of being relieved that my teacher's tardiness meant 30 minutes of goofing off, I was seriously bugged that she was wasting my time and money.

I guess there is hope for me becoming a mature adult yet.

Tardiness aside, my class is lovely. It's a great outlet for my imagination and its wildly fun to have a textbook I can't wait to crack and spend some quality time with.

Wildly.

survey says...

Ever wish you could give your pediatrician some advice about things you'd like to see change? Well here's your chance.

My good friend and Avery's pediatrician would like your advice.

Go HERE.

And if you are in the market for a pediatrician on the Salt Lake area...I HIGHLY recommend her. She's smart smart. She listens to you. She is constantly reading medical studies.

And She's a mom.

resolving

A photo that almost (but didn't) make the Christmas card this year...but too cute not to share.

I have been taking a little break from the internet. And its nice. But I don't need to tell you that. And there is a little part of me that wants to re-cap all of the things that have been happing in my blogging absence, but I am not going to...not now anyway. Its always good to leave a little something to the imagination anyway right?

So what I am posting about is my New Year's resolution. I have never been a big fan of New Years resolutions. It's just not my style. No checklists full of things like, "run five miles every day", or "loose 12 lbs" for me. My brain just doesn't work that way.

However. My clever mother in law came up with the idea of having more of a New Year's theme, instead of a list of resolutions... a word that can be kind of a central idea in the year to come.

This is an idea I can get behind. This is how my brain works. I think I sort of mentally do this anyway...so doing something that I already sort of do is a sure recipe for success.

So my theme for 2009 is:

Mindful

I want to be more mindful and conscious about my life. Mindful and purposeful about how I spend my time. Mindful of the words I speak. Mindful of Avery and her needs. Mindful of Travis and his needs. Mindful of my progress towards future goals. Mindful of the influences I let surround me. Mindful of how I treat my body. Just more deliberate and thoughtful .

That's it.

OK... and I also want to lose 12 lbs.

This American Life

So I have blogged about This American Life before. If you don't listen to it...you should.

It is a weekly radio show, produced by Chicago Public Radio. You can get it via podcast, and the new episodes are released every Sunday night. We like to listen to podcasts before going to bed. Yep, we are wild.

This week's episode was about "going big", and they featured a story about a man named Geoffry Canada, who has started a program in Harlem, which among its other facets, includes a "Baby College" for parents who wouldn't otherwise have access to parenting education, a chance to become better parents. I was inspired by this story. I think there is no other job more important than parenting. And I firmly believe that our nation's problems will be solved in the home.

I loved this story because of what this program is doing, but also because I happen to agree with their parenting philosophy...let kids be kids...let them explore their world...think about what they need instead of constantly trying to bend them to your will...interact with your baby...talk to your baby...let them sleep when they are tired, eat when they are hungry etc, speak kindly to them (OK I am not sure if they said all of those things...a few may just be mine, but its the jist). It sounds pretty simple, and that's the thing...it is.

Simple but so important. The development that happens in a baby's mind before they are 3 years old, will shape the way they function in the world for the rest of their lives. Important.

Anyway, you should just listen to the podcast. Listen while you are folding laundry or doing dishes. It's so interesting. It makes me want to go volunteer.

Also, this week they are doing another show about the economy. You'll want to tune in to that also.

Podcast here

This American Life Website here

Oprah does it to me again

All I really need
(coincidentally, I bought this outfit that she is wearing 3 years ago in anticipation of someday having a sweet baby girl...some purchases are really worth it.)

So my husband was out of town this past weekend. I didn't want to stay home all day for the four days he was gone, and so I found myself doing a lot of shopping. One particular outing was to a local craft show of sorts with my cute friends Kate and Heidi. I had set aside a particular sum a money to spend ahead of time, and found that I had spent it astonishingly fast. I came across two darling purple plaid pillows that just spoke to me. I loved them, but as I had spent my money, I stuck to my guns and put them back.

So later that night I started gazing at my couch and thinking about how perfect those pillows would be. I became obsessed. I fantasized about how I could decorate accordingly. And it wasn't just that the pillows were cute....but that they were just so me. I had to have them. I spent hours on the internet searching for the perfect purple plaid fabric, but to no avail (which by the way...I still can't believe!). I tried to sleep but I couldn't (not kidding). So I got out of bed and back to the internet where I managed to track down the girl who was selling the pillows and discovered gleefully that she had an Etsy shop. I emailed her and said a prayer that the pillows had not sold.

They hadn't, I found out Monday morning. And so of course I bought them immediately.

I occasionally watch Oprah when there is a topic that I feel enlightening or beneficial in some way. Sometimes it's Gwyneth Paltrow and Spanish cooking, yesterday it was Suze Ormon and the economy.

Here's the thing. I know there are many many families out there who are facing scary things like job loss or losing their homes, due to the current financial market and our economy. I feel terrible for those families and don't mean to minimize their situation at all.

Trav and I have been pretty careful with how we spend our money for the most part. We have followed our parents good example of living within our means, and so we feel pretty secure despite all of the financial chaos. But watching this show, and listening to Suze's strong words about respecting money etc., did make me think about why I spend the money I do spend.

I happened to glance over from my perch on the couch to a pile of half-unpacked boxes in our still packed basement. I saw sitting on top a pillow that I had saved away for years because I might need it some day. I remember buying it almost ten years ago. I was in high school. I had spent a large chunk of my (at the time small amount of) money on it...because you know...it was just so me, that I had to have it.

I brought the pillow upstairs and placed it on the couch where I had sat obsessing about the purple plaid just days ago, and sort of sickeningly realized that this pillow might actually work even better there. hmm.

Ok so not the end of the world. But it did get me thinking. Why is it so important for me to buy things that I feel show the world who I am? I am not a shopaholic...in fact I can tend towards frugal in some aspects of purchasing. But not when it comes to things that I feel somehow define who I am. I will justify and splurge when it comes to acquiring stuff that reflects my thoughts or feelings or dare I say, style. Put a piece of milk-glass or a vintage jar in front of me and there is no price too high.

Obviously we need to buy things. This is not a rant against materialism...in fact I love materials...all of them. But what I hope that I do in my life, is show the world who I am by the things that I do, and not the things on my shelves. I hope that when all is said and done, the people I form relationships with feel that the things like, kindness, selflessness, nurturer, and good mother, are so me... instead of throw pillows. That is what I aspire to.

As I watched Suze Ormon tell overextended families that they needed to sell their house and cars immediately, I sort of checked myself internally. I gratefully and calmly felt that if our family were left without things, and only with each other, and as long as were safe and fed, we would be happy and thriving.

Because as Donavon Frankenreiter sang to me as I cleaned my craft room yesterday, "Getting more of what we don't need--It don't matter".

We should really listen to surfers more often...they are so wise.

on blogging and best friends

Do you know why my friend Kate is the best? Because she does things like come to my house and spend about 6 hours helping me finally download the gift of Photoshop my husband bestowed when our darling babe was born. I may have an irrational fear of software, but that's beside the point. At any rate, she nudged me to do it, and after we finally found disk one (hiding it was!), sat through about two hours of downloading, and then proceeded to show me all her tricks...

Tricks, I might add, that took her hours and hours of work to figure out. She just shared them all, while patiently waiting for me to fumble through (Wait which key do I hit again?), while our babes slept (sort of).

Now that is true generosity.

Plus she didn't even care when I copied her and bought the exact same cardigan, and she even told me I looked cute in it, despite my enormous bosoms and roughly extra 20 lbs.

Now that is a true friend.

So getting back to my new photoshop fun.

Now I can edit my pictures more creatively...which makes me way more excited about blogging again (I have been in a small blogging funk).

(Avery on her blessing day)

Thanks again Kate!

More photos to come soon...

PS. I have started another blog that will only have photos of Avery...I know, it pretty much seems like that is what this blog is, but I wanted to have a place where family (and friends if so inclined) could look at lots of the pictures we take of her, and I wouldn't feel like I was boring anyone. Here is the link http://averyjanebird.blogspot.com/

Trav's family came over for dinner on Sunday, and being the kind souls they are, refused to let me do the dishes ( a job I rather detest anyway).

Imagine my delight when I went to unload the dishwasher only to find the silverware sorted and the cups arranged in rainbow order, which I'm sure I don't have to tell you makes for an all together delightful unloading experience. Thanks Jane.

Happy Wednesday!

Why the Cropper's are 3 1/2 of my favorite people

...because when you move they make you fabulous cupcakes, and deliver them in a really cute bakery box (which is a thing I really appreciate).



And not only are they like the best cupcakes I've ever had (of course they are)...they are injected with frosting...that's right...just like hostess, only waaaaay better.

plus they make really cute (and well behaved) babies. Why don't I have any pictures of Blaine?

Can't wait for number 2.

Oh and, they are the only one's who get my really vague references to obscure 90's Canadian reggae/rap artists, and old country singers.

and that's why I love them.

be a better person

This is a silly little thing that we do, but I thought I'd share it...you know... as a public service for your loved one.

If you put lotion on your hands before you go to bed at night, then get a little extra and put it on your honey's hands too. It's like a little hand massage for you both, and a quick way to make a best friend for life. Plus then you get to be a good person...at least until morning.